Jose Canseco arrives in city, ready to 'Fight the Good Fight' today in Kleen Energy fundraiser

JAKE GROSSMAN, Press Correspondent

Published 12:00 am, Friday, June 25, 2010

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Former MLB slugger, Jose Canseco, explains the reason behind fighting in Saturday's "Fight the Good Fight" fundraiser presented by the Lions Den is to purely raise money and help support the families of the victims of the Kleen Energy Plant explosion. (Jeremie Smith / Sports Editor) less

Former MLB slugger, Jose Canseco, explains the reason behind fighting in Saturday's "Fight the Good Fight" fundraiser presented by the Lions Den is to purely raise money and help support the families ... more

Jose Canseco arrives in city, ready to 'Fight the Good Fight' today in Kleen Energy fundraiser

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MIDDLETOWN -- He's here.

Jose Canseco arrived Friday at the Lions Den for the "Fight the Good Fight" fundraiser, which is raising money to support the families of the victims from the Kleen Energy power plant explosion.

Lions Den owner Doug Cartelli approached Canseco about a month ago when the man John Desena was supposed to fight injured himself during training.

At first, Canseco wasn't sure about the legitimacy of the phone call he received from Cartelli, but after confirming the situation, he was excited for the event.

"It's funny because I fought somewhere in Boston and I guess Doug was there for that fight and he got my number and left me a message," said Canseco in an exclusive interview with the Press. "I had no idea what it was about. I called back. He then told me what it was about, charity for the family members of the people of this Kleen Energy tragedy. I said 'Okay is this a hoax?' I l looked it up and it was legit, so I said 'I'm in,' that simple."

Canseco, a former MLB Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, and member of the 40/40 club -- 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases -- said events need a celebrity at times to get people behind the cause. He said he is up for the task.

"I thought it was a great cause," said Canseco. "A small town like this needs a celebrity type individual to get the people out to donate their money to a great cause. A couple lost their husbands, their moneymakers, their households, I said 'absolutely, let's do it.'"

Canseco said he was excited for the event, and he wants to put on a show.

"It's a great charity event. Nobody is trying to hurt anybody, we are all trying to pull for the same reason," said Canseco. "Hopefully we get the place sold out and the families make a whole lot of money."

The former MLB slugger thinks the whole community should get behind this event to watch all the fighters. Everyone participating in the event has been training for this for the past three months, and it should be something the community can support.

"Anytime anything happens to your community, everyone has to pull together," said Canseco. "Hopefully with the media, with me helping out, with everybody else who has gotten involved, [the Connecticut Convention Center] will sell out."

Canseco said he considers himself more of a kick boxer than a boxer, and that's how he was preparing for this fight up until the past few weeks.

"Before this, I was training MMA, so I was training with some fighters who came down from Danville," said Canseco. "They stayed with me for about a week, so we trained every day, so I'm in pretty good shape training wise."

He said the transition to boxing from kick boxing is different for him, and it changes his strategy in the ring.

"It's weird because you get into a mode where I have pretty much done kick boxing my entire life," said Canseco. "You get into a mode where you go left, right, left and the next step is a kick."

Canseco discussed the differences between his professional baseball career, and his career in the MMA and boxing world. In one instance he referenced a fight he had against a 7-foot-2 Korean kick boxer, Hong Man Choi.

"An inside fastball you can hit, a 7'2'' giant you can't," he said with a chuckle. "Boxing to me is the rawest form of athleticism."

On Saturday, Canseco will be facing Middletown businessman and amateur boxer, John Desena. Canseco seemed to have done his homework for the fight, outlining what he plans to do defensively.

"I know he is a big dude," said Canseco. "I know I am going to stay away from his right hand because when a man that big lands his right hand, I don't care who you are, you are going down."

Canseco lauded the event, praising Cartelli for the way he was able to put everything together. He also managed to sneak in the way he would like the night to end.

"I think Doug and the Lions Den have done a great job getting this event going," said Canseco. "I hope we get the support. I hope we get people to come and have a great time. I understand it is for a great cause. And hopefully I win."